The present invention is directed toward a folding linkage arrangement for an ejector in a material handling machine wherein a jack is conditioned for operation of the ejector by initial relative movement of two portions in the machine, the jack thereafter being arranged for operating the ejector. More generally, the invention is directed toward such a folding linkage arrangement wherein movement of a powered element under the influence of the jack is to occur subsequent to initial movement between two other elements.
Within the following description, the invention is specifically described in connection with a hauling vehicle of a type adapted for operation in mines to move coal or other minerals, for example. Within such an environment, it is desirable that the vehicle be as compact as possible. For this reason, the hauling vehicle described below is particularly contemplated as having a bowl or container element formed from a pair of telescoping container portions. The inner portion may then be extended through the outer portion to initially unload material therefrom. Within such a combination, the present invention is particularly directed toward an ejector assembly which is operable subsequent to the initial movement between the two container portions as described below in order to complete the removal of the material from the bowl.
It is of course well known to employ ejectors for removing a load from material handling machines. In most such arrangements, the jacks or other motor means which extend and retract to operate the ejectors tend to remain in fixed alignment upon the material handling machine.
In certain other prior art arrangements, the actuating jacks may tend to be pivoted into a different operating alignment but in such prior art combinations, the rotation or movement of the jacks tends to occur only as a function of the jacks extending or retracting to operate a powered element.
Accordingly, there has been found to remain a need for a jack arrangement in material handling machinery wherein the jack may be compactly contained with its operation being subsequent to initial movement between other portions of the material handling machine.